PDF Generation in Rust: Libraries and Tools

PDF Generation in Rust: Overview of Libraries and Tools

The Rust language, known for its performance and safety, offers several powerful libraries for creating PDF documents. Unlike Python, where reportlab and fpdf dominate, the Rust ecosystem provides lightweight yet functional solutions. In this article, we will look at three key libraries: printpdf, genpdf, and pdf-writer, and also touch upon low-level approaches.

1. printpdf — Basic but Flexible Library

printpdf is one of the most popular libraries for PDF generation in Rust. It provides low-level access to the PDF structure, allowing you to create documents with arbitrary element positioning. The library supports font embedding, working with images, and basic graphics primitives.

Usage Example:

use printpdf::*;use std::fs::File;use std::io::BufWriter;

fn main() {    let (doc, page1, layer1) = PdfDocument::new("PDF Document",         Mm(210.0), Mm(297.0), "Layer 1");

    let font = doc.add_builtin_font(BuiltinFont::Helvetica).unwrap();

    // Add text    doc.use_text("Hello, world!", 24.0,         Mm(20.0), Mm(280.0), &font);

    // Draw a line    let layer = doc.get_page(page1).get_layer(layer1);    layer.set_color(Color::Rgb(Rgb::new(0.0, 0.0, 0.0), None));    layer.add_line(Point::new(Mm(20.0), Mm(270.0)),                    Point::new(Mm(100.0), Mm(270.0)));

    // Save    let file = File::create("example.pdf").unwrap();    doc.save(&mut BufWriter::new(file)).unwrap();}

Pros:

Full control over the PDF structure
Support for embedding TrueType fonts
Working with images (PNG, JPEG)
Support for SVG graphics (via printpdf-svg)

Cons:

No automatic text layout
Need to manually manage positioning
Lack of support for tables and multi-page layouts

2. genpdf — For Simple Documents with Layout

genpdf is a higher-level library that automates the layout process. It is ideal for creating reports, letters, and other documents with a simple structure. The library supports line wrapping, text alignment, and basic design elements.

Example of Creating a Simple Document:

use genpdf::{Document, SimplePageSettings};use genpdf::elements::{Paragraph, Break, Image};use genpdf::fonts::FontFamily;

fn main() -> Result<(), Box> {    let font_family = FontFamily::from_files(        "fonts/",         "LiberationSans",         None    )?;

    let mut doc = Document::new(font_family);    doc.set_title("Example Document");

    // Add elements    doc.push(Paragraph::new("Title").bold());    doc.push(Break::new(5.0));    doc.push(Paragraph::new("Main text with automatic line wrapping. "        .to_string() + "The genpdf library calculates positions on its own."));

    // Save    doc.render_to_file("output.pdf")?;    Ok(())}

Pros: